White Paper: 3 Club Recruiting Inefficiencies & Solutions

The following white paper for club sports leaders looking to learn more about the recruiting process at it is handled at the club level.

Abstract

In the club sports space, more and more families are relying on the staff and leadership of an organization to assist them in the recruiting process. As we have explored, more often than not families align themselves with a club in order to boost their chances of being recruited to play a sport in college. Further, these families are not afraid to switch clubs in order to put themselves in the best position possible. What then, can clubs improve upon in order to reduce their churn rate while simultaneously assisting their student-athletes? This paper will dive into three things many clubs currently struggle with as well as offer solutions to each very solvable problem.

You can read the full white paper below.

Introduction

As clubs are increasingly responsible for the recruiting activities of their players, and with increasing competition in the space, the status-quo of handling day-to-day within the organization is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain.

However, many of the issues facing clubs today are fixable, many times by simply embracing technology. We will explore three specific inefficiencies observed as they relate to the recruiting process, gathered over our seven years in the space. We will also offer tangible solutions to aid in solving these problems.

Inefficiency 1: No Clear Recruiting Plan or Infrastructure

Many clubs – depending on the sport – have been in existence for a decade or more, and as such, have not updated their systems to act in accordance with the growth in technologies.

During that time, as more participants have entered the space, so to have new clubs. Eager to set themselves apart, newer clubs have often adapted newer technologies and infrastructure as a means of attracting clients.

The result is a quagmire for many in the “old guard” – they falsely believe the way it has always been done will still work. However, as they grow and develop, it becomes increasingly difficult to provide personal attention to everyone in the club. Players become lost in the shuffle, and churn sets in.

This does not mean that older clubs – or newer clubs not adopting an updated infrastructure – are not doing a good job. However, they are putting themselves at a competitive disadvantage to rely on things like excel sheets, notebooks and a cornucopia of email chains.

It’s the equivalent of taking out a pen and paper to solve a math equation when there is a calculator sitting on the table.

Solution

There is a way, however, to work smarter, not necessarily harder. Advances in technology are such that any number of solutions are readily available.

A club needs to first clearly articulate it’s plan for recruiting. Knowing plenty of college coaches is a nice start, and pointing to lists of recent commits is similarly helpful. But what is the plan that will aid all members of the club, not necessarily the best players – but everyone?

Once you have your position articulated and visible, the next step is to show you have a plan. Does this mean one-on-one meetings with all players once a month to keep up with their process? Articulating and sticking to a roadmap – e.g., by Freshman year X, by Sophomore year Y – is vital in showing parents you both take the process seriously and have a tangible way to assist them.

Now that you have an articulated plan and roadmap, what are the actual steps you take to help? This is where technology comes into play. Any number of online tools can assist, from dedicated recruiting companies to simply updating your club’s website to accurately reflect individual progress with things like profiles and calendars.

To decrease churn and increase value for your club families, it is imperative to have a clear recruiting infrastructure for your club.

Inefficiency 2: Transparency & Accountability

On the heels of recognizing the growing need for a recruiting infrastructure comes the necessity to both provide transparency on the club’s side and accountability on the side of the family.

As is often the case, many players on a club have a wide range in talents. Some need virtually no help in the recruiting process. Others are on the cusp of not wanting to play in college. Many, if not most, will fall in the middle.

So how does a club actively assist all of these sects within its organization in a fair way? Said another way, how does a club show it is doing its best with everyone?

Solution

Again, here is where technology can come into play. Do you have a website where you can recommend schools for players? Are you suggesting schools that players would potentially be a good fit both academically and athletically? Is this logged somewhere and accessible for a family?

Being completely transparent in the process will not only provide tangible assistance, but it serves as a way to also hold a family accountable. The recruiting process is a 50/50 proposition, and student-athletes and their families should be shouldering as much – or more – of the responsibility.

With that in mind, being transparent also allows the club to monitor how proactive a family is being, and can thus hold them accountable if they are not holding up their end of the bargain.

The recruiting road is a two-way street. By providing complete transparency as to how you assist your families, you are also providing an avenue by which to hold each accountable for their success.

Inefficiency 3: Where’s the Video?

It is no secret that highlight reels are at the crux of the recruiting process. Coaches need these videos to get a feel for a player and to see if they are someone that fits their program athletically.

As we have explored, families rely on their club’s for recruiting assistance. Somewhat paradoxically, there is a large divide insofar as most clubs are not doing much in the video space to assist their student-athletes with these videos.

While this feels like a generalization, a survey conducted by SportsRecruits found that 72.08% of respondents said their club team takes no part in the making of their highlight reels.

Solution

Having a highlight reel strategy for student-athletes is a no-brainer in today’s world of recruiting. Helping student-athletes with these videos would not only add real, tangible value, but it would separate an organization from many in the space.

This can be accomplished in many ways. If a club doesn’t want to assist in the tangible making of these reels, they can outsource this at a discount to many companies that make these reels. Clubs can similarly assist by simply contracting out a video and editing profession to create these reels.

Further, the most important aspect of these reels is the source video. With tournaments and showcases being played in, there exists a real way to provide your families with this source material by contracting out a videographer or working with event organizers on a team discount.

While the video proposition seems like a costly one, it is probably worth it to consider. Not only will it increase the value you are adding to families in a very tangible way, but you are also separating yourself from a very crowded marketplace.

Conclusion

There exist many inefficiencies in today’s club recruiting landscape. By addressing any number here – the three we have discussed or many countless others – organizations would be better able to serve their families while simultaneously aiding their own business value.

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